Kiln.



J. c. SCHAFFER.

KILN. APPLICATION FILED APR-29 I912- 1,147, 446, Patented July 20,1915.

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w'TU ENE Y 1. c. SCHAFFER'.

KILN.

APPLICATION FILED APR.29, 1912.

Patented July -20, 1915.

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ATTO RJV'E'Y ME iE/K W P i 4 W-Nu. 7 c Q V W 4 Q m mu M UHL m 1 L Y 214 3 4 i JOHN C. SCI-IAFFER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

KILN.

To all 1071077! it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN C. Sor-IArFnn, a citizen of the United. States, residing at T0- ledo, Lucas county, Ohio, have invented new and useful Kilns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to heating, heating i' duct connections, and kiln structures.

This invention has utility when embodied in kilns for firing or burning ware.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan View of an embodiment of the invention in connection with agroup of kilns; Fig. 2 is a plan view, with parts broken away of one of the kilns; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section through the kilns in line I with the grouping; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section through one of the kilns.

The kilns 1 are provided with a plurality of furnaces 2 having grates 8 inclining downwardly toward the kiln. The hot gases from these furnaces pass upward in passage 4; within and around the outer sides of the kilns 1 toward the top of the kilns. 7

Referring to Fig. 1, closure 5, stops the top of kiln 6, so that the rising hot gases must pass down through the ware in this kiln charged with brick or other ware for firig or burning. These hotgases escape thi kiln through the central opening 7 in the bottom thereof which has a central platform 8 therein directly covering the opening 9 to the subway duct 10, which has valve 11 opened to permit these hot wastegases from firing of kiln 6 to pass to kiln 12 for a preheating of the ware charged therein. 'As these heating gases come from duct 10 through opening 9, the platform S'acts as a flare or distributer to deflect the heating gases to thoroughly permeate the stacked ware as it passes into the kiln 12 through the central bottom opening 7. This heat utilization gives the kiln a preheating to a maximum temperature at the points most difiicult to reach in the direct heating. Thus the updraft preheating, not only warms the entire kiln charge, but gives a distribution and partialfiring to a greater or less extent, so that direct downdraft firing is most economically possible with enhanced uniformity of operation. The kilns are reversible in that in regular operation they may be first operated as updraft and then as downdraft kilns. The gasesrising through the kiln 12 may pass out the opening 13 in thetop there- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 20 1915.

Application filed April 29, 1912. Serial No. 693,781. I

of, and through the removable elbow 14 placed 1n connecting position into utilizat1onduct15, which may lead by passage 16 to a drier or seasoner, or they may be used for such other purpose as may be desirable in a ware manufacturing plant. Using this heat incidental to the manufacture, instead. .of for other purposes, or wasting entirely,

contributes materially to the plant-efficiency.

Were it found desirable, for reasons of kiln repair, or charge not ready in kiln 12, the opening 7 might be blocked and duct 10 have its valve 11 removed to permit the gases to pass to and heat the next kiln 17, from which they might pass by elbow 14 into the waste duct 18 having valves 19, 20, therein, to lead by the passage 21 to the stack 22. Accordingly there are two heat utilization ducts 15, 10, the former permitting conducting the hot gases elsewhere, while the latter serve to conduct from kiln to kiln, or by passage 23 lead to the stack 22. The valves 19, 20 and 2 1 inthe waste duct 18, permit operation of the circuit from the kilns in such direction to the stack as may be found desirable. By the grouping of the kilns as shown, there may be extension in pairs for such enlarged capacity as may be desired from the initial installation.

Closures 25 may cover openings .in the duct 15 adjacent each kiln. To shut off communication of a'kiln with the lower duct 10, closures 26 may be disposed to cover the openings 7. Theelbows 14; are removable, insertible into the openings at the top of the kilns, and reversible to enter either duct 15 or 18,' there are accordingly provided'two' possibilities for carrying ofi the updraft gases. Vith closure 25 for the openings in ducts 15, 18, and closure 5 for the kiln opening 13, removal of closure 26 for the opening 7 about the flare hood or platform 8, permits of down draft operation controlled as to selecting of kilns by the valves 11 in the duct 10.

In actual practice the gases from kiln 12 would not be of sufficiently high temperature for complete drying, and in most instances would be connected to duct 18 at this preheating. The greater advantage in the use of the duct 15 is in carrying off the warm gases from a kiln after it has been fired and during the cooling operations. In regular rotation'of the kilns of the plant, kiln 27 is shown as connected to duct 15 as it is cooling. In the up draft operation a minimum of pressure is necessary as this is the natural course for the gases to take.

In operation, the kiln 6, Fig. 1, may be fired by its furnaces 2, the hot gases rising therefrom, acting downdraft, as the outlet means has closure 5 in position. 'These downdraft gases pass through the bottom opening 9, Fig. 4, to the duct 10 in which the control means 11 may be removed to give direct communication through the bottom opening 9 for updraft travel of these hot gases in kiln 12. The outlet means on kiln 12 may be disposed to communicate as desired. The elbow 14, in Fig. 1, has this kiln 12 in communication with the utilization duct 16, which may extend to a drier, or for such use as desired, while as readily it maybe connected to the duct 18 to be acted upon by the draft inducing means or stack 22. This action is desirable in the earlier stages of the water smoking or drying out of the green ware in kiln 12, before the ware is to be subjected to firing, as the ware in kiln 6 is being treated. During this preheating and drying out of the ware in kiln 12 and the bringing up of the temperature therein for firing, the next kiln 17, may be charged, so that when kiln 12 is fired, it may have its hot gases act downdraft, instead of updraft as in the drying or preheating and these hot' gases from kiln 12 pass for updraft warmingof'kiln 17. During this warming of kiln 17, he next kiln in serles may be charged.

'As the furnaces on kiln 6 have firing thereof cease with the ware fully burned, there is considerable residual temperature in kiln 6,

to be released through the top opening by removing the closure 5. The hotter portions of these cooling gases in passing the outlet'means may be utilized by passing or being drawn through the utilization duct 15, while for hastening the later stages of cooling, there may be removal of the elbow, or connection tothe duct 18. Vhen the kiln 6 is sufiiciently cooled to permit removal of theware, such may occur, and the kiln be re-charged.

In a series of kilns, by such successive handling, there is continuous firing possible. with economical use of the primarily heated gases, without detracting from the firing value thereof. The firing kiln acts right and on downdraft, and'has the advantage of entry upon ware which has been well dried from opposite heat travel, insuring good distribution throughout the kiln of properly burned ware; Upon firing, effective burning soon takes place, while the residual heat may be used in preliminary drying if desired.

lVhat is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A series of kilns having connections for consecutive heating, firing and cooling, comprising firing' means and bottom openings for the kilns, a duct directly connecting the bottom openings only of adjacent kilns for receiving down-draft firing gases from a first kiln and delivering for up-draft heato ing of a second kiln, draft inducing dis charge means for the up-draft gases from the second kiln, and outlet means independ ent of said duct' for conducting the gases from the first kiln after the firing thereof. 2. The combination with a first kiln, firing meanstherefor having its gases directed for downdraft operation, a second kiln, a duct from the first kiln to convey the gases from the down-draft firing of the first kiln for up-draft heating of the secondkiln, a third kiln for charging, a fourth kiln, said kilns having central bottom openings, outlet means for updraft conveying spent heat gases from the fourth kiln, outlet means for the gases from the first kiln during the cooling thereof, control means for cutting off the duct] connection between the first kiln and the second kiln after thefiring of the first kiln, firing means for the second kiln having its gases directed for downdraft operation, a duct from the second kiln to convey gases from the down-draft firi of the second kiln for up-draft heating the third kiln during the cooling of the firgt J kiln, said down-draft receiving ducts being in communication with said up-draft receiving or cooling ducts only through the kilns, and said down-draft receiving ducts extending in a straightline between the bottom openings of adjacent kilns, said cooling of the first kiln occurring during the charging of the fourth kiln whereby in a series of kilns there may be continuous operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN C. SCHAFFER.

Witnesses l .0. H/Rauon,

GEO. E. KIRK. 

